Description

What We Can Achieve Together:

The Reconnected Rivers Program Associate is a key position for the growth of The Nature Conservancy’s Reconnected Appalachian Rivers Strategy, serving both the West Virginia Business Unit and the Appalachians Program. This position represents an opportunity to help accelerate freshwater restoration across the Appalachians by advancing projects that reconnect rivers, improve aquatic habitat and benefit communities. The Program Associate will work closely with other TNC staff, partner organizations and agencies, engineering firms, contractors and community groups to restore connectivity to enable aquatic organism passage and enhance flood resilience in high-priority streams and rivers. The Program Associate will advance the objectives of the Appalachians Free Rivers Accelerator, a regional initiative that works with partners to accelerate dam removal and reconnect rivers throughout the Appalachians.   

• Two-year termposition with a possibility to renew.
• Early application is encouraged as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Work Location: This position will be basedinWest Virginia and working out of the Elkins office at least one day per week, with occasional travel throughout West Virginia and the region. 

We’re Looking for You:

Based in West Virginia, 50% of the Program Associate’s responsibilities will focus on building a new Reconnected Rivers program for the West Virginia Business Unit by working with key partners to Identify, envision, develop, oversee and supportdam removal, culvert replacement and floodplain restoration projects in priority landscapes. The other 50% of the Program Associate’s responsibilities will focus on supporting a key initiative of the Appalachians Program—the Free Rivers Accelerator—by advancing dam removal projects in two or three additional Appalachian states.

Responsibilities and Scope: 

West Virginia: 

• As part of the West Virginia Business Unit, the Program Associate will report primarily to the Director of Conservation Programs and coordinate with Conservation, Finance, Marketing/Communications, Operations, Development and Policy staff as needed.
• Serve as a member of West Virginia’s Conservation Team, contributing river conservation skills and expertise to support the team’s work to protect, manage and restore critical lands and waters.
• Support, lead and/or manage projects with partners as they progress through project development and planning, grant-writing and proposal development, contracting, project design, permitting, construction, monitoring and evaluation.

 
Appalachians Program:

• Within the Appalachians Program, the Program Associate will report secondarily to the Director of the Appalachians Free Rivers Accelerator and coordinate with relevant Appalachians staff and supported Business Units.
• Work with statewide networks, TNC Business Units, engineering firms and partners to identify priority projects, support early engineering and grant development, track project progress and help ensure successful completion of project deliverables.
• Help identify and advance a portfolio of priority dam removal projects in approximately two or three states.

Responsibilities for Both Roles:

• Build trusted relationships with partners and serve as a collaborative problem-solver across organizations and interests.
• Manageexternal relationships, budgets, subcontractors, timelines and tracking progress and outcomes.
• Work within and manage complex budgetsto complete projects.
• Be ready to travel as needed to TNC and partner offices and project sites within the area of work and to safely and occasionally work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain and under physically demanding circumstances.
• Focus communications and information sharing betweenWest Virginiaand Appalachians staff.
• The Program Associate may be required to negotiate, draft and manage contracts for engineering design, project construction and manage contractors to obtain project completion. 

Requirements

What You’ll Bring:

• BA/BS, law,or business degree AND 5 years’ experience in natural resource management or related field, OR equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience communicating with the public and/or media both in writing and verbally.
• Proficiency in GIS and standard office applications (Microsoft Word, Excel), and Web Browsers.
• Flexibility to adapt and changecourse as program requirements dictate. 

Desired Qualifications:

• Knowledge of freshwater conservation practice and conservation science.
• Specialization in aquatic habitat restoration, freshwater ecology and/or fisheries restoration.
• Experience with dam removal and culvert replacement/aquatic organism passage projects.
• Experience coordinating multiple and complex projects, setting realistic deadlines, managing timelines and completing tasks independently.
• Experience negotiating complex agreements.
• Experience managing, coordinating and tracking projects, budgets, contracts and subcontracts.
• Experience building trust and working effectively and respectfully with a variety of partners in government agencies, indigenous communities, non-profit organizations, local communities, businesses, landownersand the public.
• Completing tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).
• Multi-lingual skills and multi-cultural or cross-cultural experience appreciated.
• Ability to travel and work in remote field conditions, including rugged terrain and variable weather.
• Excellent written, verbal and visual communications skills.
• Experience developing and implementingequitable conservationstrategies with local communities and a variety of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex ecological information for non-technical audiences, including landowners, partners and donors.  

This position requires a valid driver's license and compliance with TNC’s Auto Safety Program. Employees may not drive Conservancy-owned/leased vehicles, rental cars, or personal vehicles on behalf of the Conservancy if considered "high risk drivers." To learn more about the Auto Safety Program, visit the Auto Safety information page. Employment in this position will be contingent upon completion of a Vehicle Use Agreement, which may include a review of the prospective employee's motor vehicle record.